Shaping the future is not an easy task. As the masters of our fate, we have to make many choices, preferably the best ones, to attain our aims. We have to overcome many challenges, preferably with minimal losses, to reach our goals. In the process, we have to deal with many unknowns. Luckily, apart from hard work, there are 6 steps to bring about desired change in our lives. If we follow these 6 steps, we will be able to handle challenges while shaping our desired future.Continue reading »

Christmas is a hectic time for many of us. As we prepare for the festivities, we know we should be grateful for our family and friends. And to show this gratefulness, we rush out to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones. Yet the perfect gift is not something we can buy. Any gift we can think of will lose its appeal with time. I am not against gift giving or receiving for that matter. I love presents! But I feel we should take some time out to stop, reflect and realize that we are the perfect gift to our family and friends. What would their lives be like without us?Continue reading »

The I-Ching, Yijing or Book of Changes was born thousands of years ago in China. It started out as a divination manual and slowly evolved into a book of wisdom as well. Throughout the ages, people from all levels of society have turned to it for advice. They include emperors, statesmen, thinkers, merchants and common folk. Even today, the Yijing remains relevant. Thanks to the efforts of Richard Wilhelm, Carl Jung and the many Yijing enthusiasts out there, it is more famous and more widely read than ever. For me, it is the one book that I reread on a daily basis. If you wonder why, here is a list of benefits that I have derived from reading the Yijing.Continue reading »

With 2011 looming on the horizon, 2010 ends and a new year is about to begin. With a new year comes a fresh start and it is important that I begin well. Like many people, I do not have a favourable view of New Year resolutions. I make changes in my life as and when I see the need for it. I do not need to do so just because it is a new year. But there are certain changes that I wish to make and I can see the wisdom behind setting the course for 2011. Thus, for 2011, my theme shall be “Thinking Ahead” and I shall implement the changes I wish to make accordingly.Continue reading »

Listening is an important skill to have in life. Yet we do not always do it properly. Our failure to listen well can affect our relationships and cause misunderstandings. One factor that hinders our ability to listen is a saturated mind. When the mind is full of opinions, it is hard for anything else to go in. To better illustrate this point, let me share with you a story.Continue reading »

Time flies when we are not paying attention. Before we know it, it is the end of yet another week as we draw closer to the end of 2010. How has the week been for you all? It has been smooth I hope? Continue reading »

Inspiration is a wondrous thing. On days when I am uninspired, I feel lethargic and I simply cannot come up with any idea to save my life. But on days when I am inspired, my energy levels are high and ideas just flow without effort. I believe that inspiration is all around us. We can be inspired from a variety of sources if we look for it. The more sources we have, the more we will be inspired. They key to inspiration is diversification. This way, if one source fails, we have others to back it up. And so, without further ado, here are my nine sources of inspiration.Continue reading »

All too often, life can deal us a bad hand that we do not expect. In Hexagram 51, the I-Ching calls these unexpected changes shocks of fate. This shock could be the loss of a job when you have a family to feed. It could also be the loss of your loved ones, home, savings or anything that gives you security. Few of us are prepared to deal with shocks of fate. This is why they unsettle us so deeply when they happen.

During such times, it is easy for us to lose our presence of mind and panic. Yet to give into fear and despair during these crucial moments only compounds /ur problems for us. In the face of a crisis, only a godlike calm and composure will help you to survive the ordeal.Continue reading »

Welcome to the first edition of the Vizier’s Reflections. All of us lead busy lives. With this in mind, I will use this post to share with you, any interesting and useful ideas that I come across each week. If I can help to highlight some ideas that might be of use to you, I would have achieved my aim. Although I am not sure how this post will develop over time, I do intend to make the Vizier’s Reflections a weekly staple. It will also make a good platform for me to make any announcements if the need should arise.Continue reading »

As we go about our daily lives, it is easy for the challenges we face to pile up and overwhelm us. Before we realize it, we accumulate more stress in our body than we know how to manage. Left unchecked the stress can affect our productivity, mood and health. At times like this, I laugh. No, it is not because I have lost my mind, but because laughter is good for the soul. In fact, I value laughter so much that I try to laugh at least a few times each day.Continue reading »